Toothbrush



TOOTHBRUSH Filed oct.v 22, 1925 54 a l 5 Egg/5 .g1/want@ 55, g4 /454 HOWM. Miin v l L: Il"

l am( Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES `R()EEB1 MILTON MC'LVIILLIN, OF LAGRANGE, GEORGIA.

TOOTHBRUSI-I.

Application filed October 22, 1925. Serial' No. 64,230.

My said invention relates to a tooth brush and it is an object of the invention to provide a brush which may be rot-ated to clean the teeth and provided at the same time with a guard for preventing injury to the lips of the user.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which may be operated by either the right or left hand according to the preference of the person using the same. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible shaft so that the movement of the hand in operating the device Will not affect the position of the brushv but Will permit the brush to` yield and conform to the configuration of the teeth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Which are made a partvhereof and on which lsimilar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a perspective of my device,

Figure 2, an end elevation of the handle,

Figure 3, `a section on line 3*,-3 of Figi ure 1,

Figure 4, a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1 Figure 5, a side elevation of the brush and the guard therefor, Y

Figures 6 and 7 are views showing the method of using the brush With the right hand to brush the teeth at different vsides of the mouth, l

Figure S, a side elevation of a modified form of shaft,

Figure 9, a detail View of the manner of application of the guard for the bristles 8 is em-V where the reduced shaft of Fig. ployed, and Y Figure 10, a detail side elevation of a bearing element in the slot in the handle and y between said split portions and twistedpreferably into spiral shape. The end of the shaft 10 opposite the end carrying the bristles is twisted at 13 and has mounted thereon a spring handle 14 having finger loops 15 by means of which the handle may b e compressed.

Gne end of the handle 14C is provided With a rectangular slot 16 to.accommodate'theA correspondingly shaped shaft, 10. A stop 17 is fixed on the shaft 10 for limiting the outward movement of the end of the handle While the opposite end of the handle is pivotally but loosely mounted on the shaft between stops 18. rlhe end of the handle provided With the slot 16 is free to move longitudinally of the shaft and When the handle is compressed the slotted end of the handle Will be moved toward the fixed end of the handle and cause the shaft to revolve With the bristles, whereupon the spring action of the handle Will return 'said slotted end to its normal position giving a counter motion to the shaft and the bristles carriedithereby.

The reci rocatin motionof the fingers is guard are provided merely With openings in f which the shaft is journaled. This construction permits entirely independent movement of thevvorlring mechanism and allowsthe spirally twisted strap to flex during the rotation of the bristles Within the guard.v The pressureof the brush upon the teeth will be entirely dependent upon the pressure'of the lips and cheeks uponthe guard.

In the construction `of my invention the handle and the shaft are formed of plain strap metal rendering the device very economical to produce and requiring very little machine Work, in fact only the punching of the holes in the handle and in the guard for the bristles.

The loops 15 of the handle are preferably formed on opposite sides of the handle proper, thus better conforming to the curve of the fingers and 4facilitating the usev of the devicer on either hand. Y

`A bearing element 21 may beprovided in order to*` furnish a greater bearing surface for the handle. The bearing element 21 is formed of a rectangular sleeve twisted to correspond to the spiral portion 13 of the shaft 10. This bearing element is non-rotatably but loosely mounted in the slot 16V of vthe handle and'portions 22 are struck up `for 'maintaining `the sleeve Within said slot. Bv

this construction the necessary slight, lateral provideany opening'. in the end ofthe guard as large the width ofthe'shaftin which event Il p'ioi'jide av guard 24 yi'vithfan opening `f2.5`for recei'vfiiig'i'the reduce'dp'ortien "of the sliaft-Q-and' to get the shaft 23 in said' openf ing Qllsllit thek guard atQ and bend' the .metal baelrsov that'the shaft may 'be inserted f, in the'l opening aiid'then return the metal' to itsoriginalfpostion.

4It willbe obvious to those skilledV in the art -that changes may 'be lmade 'in `iny ldevice without departing Vfrom ythe 'spirit of' thein Vvent-ion. -I"therefore do not'liniit-fin'yself toV what isshown inthe' drawings and described yin the s peeiicationbi'itonlyas indicated in the appended. claims.

Q Having thus Vfully-described Imy said invention, whatI claim asVnewf and desireto i securebyLetters Patent is: Y

1. .A toothbrush comprising a Isha'fthaving acircularbrush mounted adjacent one end, said` shaftbeing spirally formed ad- .jacent'its opposite end, a. flexibleA U-shaped Yhandle forsaid 'shaftand lia-ving eachend connected with. said shaft said .liandle'liaving .one end* fixedI against longitudinali: movement onthershaftfandhaving its otherend `provided With a slot.r adapted to be moved longitudinally. .of the spiral 4for rotatingthe saine, substantiallyk asi setforth.

2. A g tooth brush comprising la,sliaftfhavringa..spiral .formation at one end andbristles mountedfon. its other end,ja guard. for

-said bristles rotatablyinounted on ysaid shaft, a. Vhandlefor usaid shaft having one end. .held against endwise .movement on the lshaft and =havi`ng `its 4other end connected with rsaid yspirally forni-ed'portionfadapted lto be moved. llongitudinally of the `spiral to rotate the same, substantially as set (forth.

V3. A shaft, ia spiralfarrangeinent at oneV -end thereof,a flexible` U-shaped .handle for said shaft having-each end :perforated for reception ofv the shaftand having one of said perforated ends fixedfagainst longitudinal `movement von uthe shaft, ithe. perforation in .the opposite end ,ofy the handle beingof; av `'shape to cause rotationfo'f the shaft when moved longitudinally. ofthe spiral,substan tiallyas setlforth.- i a L .41. A shaft having a Espiral formation thereon, a flexible" U-shaped handle 'for 'said v`shaft.eaehfleg ofsaidU beingprovided 'with ga finger receiving-'lQPon-e eridfff'sfaidliandle `being held .against longitudinal Aino''vement with reference 'to said shaft but 'rotatable 'freely/thereon"and the other end l'of said iaiidle having a lslot'and adapted thereby to 'be iiioved longitudinally of the spiral to ro- ?tate Athe sa-iiie,'s`ubstantially as set forth.

5. A shaft having a spiral formation -thereon, a lflexible U-shaped handle for said shaft each leg of said U being provided with 4a"finger"receiving loop one end of said 4handle being held against longitudinal movement with-'reference to said shaft but rotatable freely tliereonfand'the other len'd. Ofsaidhandle having a slot and Aadapted to'be movedv longitudinallyof said spiral 'tovrtate the'same, said finger loops being disposed on opposite sides'ofsaid handle, 'substaiitially'as set forth. i f

6. Atooth brush comprising a shafthav- 'ing'aspiifal formation atene end and a Y'bruh on itsotlierend,a handle -for'said shaft comprising afplain wire of substan- 'tially U-'shape-,' said handle having' one fend held fjagainst Vendwise movement on the "shaft'and having its other 'prend connected 'with said spiral formation for 'rotating 'the saine 'when' moved longitudinally thereof, substantially asset forth. i

7. "A tooth brush comprising -a'shaftl having one end' twisted'and having a; brush .on

its opposite end, 'aflexiblei U-"shapedl handle havingfits ends mounted onsaid twisted portion,` one of the ends of the handle' being yfined against rotation about the `lshaft but tmovable along thetwisted portion for rotating the shaft, said shaft being out away l f-atits sides between the b'riislifanidpath of the handle to provide increased flexibility, substantially Vasset forth.

8. A tooth brush comprising'ashaft havin-g'foneend'twistedand havingfa brush on fits opposite end,jja fleXible'Us'haped'handle having its ends 'mounted on `said twisted y,portion, one of the ends of the hand'lebeing 'fixed against Arotation about the shaft but movable along the twistedfportion for rotatingthe shaft, said shaft being. cut away Vat'its .sides between lthe'biush and 'path of the 'handle to provide increased -flexibility a vguard having an opening in. onefend -for receiving 'the eind `of the sha'ft and having an-(opening 'thrugh 'the opposite end'ffor snuglyy housingtheshaft, said guard being split "from 'said jopeiiing outwardly Ito the edge of the shield whereby thenietal may be Ibjeiit, a'sideto permit vthe shaft `toy be in 'sert'ed in lthe opening and then 'returned to itsjoriginalfposition, Vsubstantially *as Aset forth., i v

"9. 'jA toothbrush' comprising a Jshaft -hav- 'ing a4r brush on one end' and 'a `spiral"'formation at its opposite end with oneend dis- I-posedfadjacentthe end of i they shaftand the .otli'erendjdis'posed intermediate vsaid ends, s'aidj'shaft 'having its outer f end-reduced Vto provide A'a l'reduced bearing surfacek and V"formedwith 'a "shoulder, a wasl'ie'r on `said reduced portion against said shoulder, a second washer on said reduced portion spaced from said shoulder the outer end of said reduced portion being enlarged to hold the second-mentioned Washer in position, a flexible handle in the form of a loop having one end perforated and mounted between said washers, the other end of said handle mounted on said shaft having a rectangular perforation and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the spiral for rotating the same, substantially as set forth.

10. A tooth brush comprising a shaft having a brush on one end and a spiral formation at its opposite end with one end disposed adjacent the end of the shaft and the other end disposed intermediate said ends, said shaft having its outer end reduced to provide a reduced bearing surface and formed with a shoulder, a washer on said reduced portion against said shoulder, a second washer on said reduced portion spaced from said shoulder, the outer end of said reduced portion being enlarged to hold Vthe second-mentioned washer in position, a

iiexible handle in the form of a loop having one end perforated and mounted between said washers, the other end of said handle mounted on said shaft having a rectangular perforation and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the spiral for rotating the same, and a bearing element mounted on the twisted end of the, shaft in the slot in the handle said bearing element comprising a sleeve twisted correspondingly tothe twist of the shaft and having struck up tongues engaging the handle adjacent the slot for holding the sleeve within the slot in the handle, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Lagrange, Georgia, this 15th day of October, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-five.

ROBERT MILTON McMlLLlN. [L s.] 

